Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 14, 2026
05:10
Multidisciplinary Approach to Obesity Management: A Case Report
Published on: May 30, 2025
901
Antimicrobial therapy in obesity: a multicentre cross-sectional study
Esmita Charani1, Myriam Gharbi2, Gary Frost3
1National Institute of Health Research Health Protection Research Unit, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Campus, London W12 ONN, UK e.charani@imperial.ac.uk.
The Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy
|July 16, 2015
Summary
Obesity is common in hospitalized patients, affecting one in five. Obese individuals face significantly more complicated antimicrobial management compared to normal or underweight patients.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Clinical Pharmacy
- Public Health
Background:
- Obesity is increasingly prevalent globally and linked to various health complications, including increased susceptibility to infections.
- Effective antimicrobial management is crucial for treating infections and preventing resistance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of obesity among hospitalized patients.
- To evaluate the impact of obesity on the complexity of antimicrobial therapy received by patients.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study was conducted in three National Health Service hospitals in London.
- Data from 1014 adult admissions were analyzed, including medication charts and clinical notes.
- Antimicrobial therapy was categorized as 'complicated' based on predefined criteria related to drug choice, route, duration, and specialist consultation.
Main Results:
- 22% of hospitalized patients were identified as obese.
- Obese patients were significantly more likely to receive complicated antimicrobial therapy (36%) compared to normal/overweight (19%) and underweight (23%) patients.
- After adjusting for confounding factors, obese patients had double the odds of receiving complicated antimicrobial therapy (OR = 2.01).
Conclusions:
- Obesity is a significant factor in hospitalized populations, with one in five patients being obese.
- Antimicrobial management is substantially more complex for obese patients compared to their normal/overweight and underweight counterparts.
- These findings highlight the need for tailored antimicrobial strategies in obese patients to optimize treatment outcomes.
